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This chipotle butternut squash soup is a killer non-trad vibe to whip up for Thanksgiving, or just about any other time of the year. Chipotle, cumin, coriander, torn up chunks of juicy seitan, plenty of lime juice, crispy tortilla strips on top, and now squash soup actually has something to say for itself.
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This is a weird recipe, but in a truly glorious way. You can almost think of it as a Tex-Mex curry of sorts. The squash still sorta melts down soft and sweet like always, but chipotle's running the show now, smoky, vinegary, cutting right through that sweetness so neither one gets boring. Seitan browns up chewy, green beans stay snappy because they go in last, coconut milk calms the heat down, lime brings it back up. Tortilla strips on top for crunch. It's got all the good things your life needs in it right now.
Tex-Mex soup people, you know who you are, and you deserve a soup flight in the bathtub (like on a tray, not spilled on your legs). Rock this next to pozole verde, vegan corn chowder, and pinto bean chili. Make all 4 this fall and stop pretending you weren't going to eat them in the bathtub already.
This is squash soup for people who think squash soup is kind of boring. They are wrong as hell.
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🥰 Why you'll adore this Tex Mex butternut squash soup
✊ Vegan AF: Like all my vegan soup recipes, this one runs on seitan and coconut milk instead of beef, chicken stock, bird juice, fish milk, dog eggs, or whatever weird crap non-vegan people can't seem to stop stuffing their faces with.
🍋 Lime and Coconut Milk Keep It Balanced: Just when the chipotle starts to feel like it is taking over, coconut milk mellows things out and lime brings it all back into focus. It's truly a miracle.
🥩 Seitan Gives It Something to Chew On: Browned until the edges crisp up, it's the reason this soup isn't just another smooth purée. GF? Soy curls or pan-fried pulled jackfruit will help you pull this off without any of the gluten shenanigans.
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🍲 Chipotle Squash Soup Ingredients
The Squash
Big ol' chunks of butternut squash are what gives the broth its body, softening up as it simmers and balancing out all that smoky chipotle heat with its natural sweetness. Peeled acorn squash or pumpkin sub in just fine, and if peeling sounds like a whole chore, kabocha squash can go in unpeeled, same lazy-ass trick I use in my vegan kabocha squash soup.
Chipotle Peppers in Adobo
I've got my own chipotle peppers in adobo recipe if you want full control, but La Morena or La Costeña are great grab-and-go options when time matters more than saving a couple extra bucks by DIYing it.
Seitan
Never made your own before? My seitan recipe walks you through it, and I even put together a whole seitan masterclass if you want to really nerd out on the technique.
Want to make this GF because you hate gluten with all your heart and soul? Swap in rehydrated soy curls, which is what I do when I make my wife pozole rojo.
Cumin and Coriander
My personal obsession here is Burlap and Barrel's wild mountain cumin, the seeds are more slender and noticeably more aromatic than most of the stuff you find at a regular grocery store, and once you try it, regular cumin feels a little sad by comparison. But obviously, use whatever you got.
B&B also has amazing coriander. I mean, pretty much all their sh*t is bananas, B.A.N.A.N.A.S.
Get my fave cumin seeds for free!
Using this link, add the wild mountain cumin to your cart, spend at least $15 on some of the other absurdly good spices from Burlap & Barrel (they all seriously slap) and the bottle of this bangin' wild mountain cumin becomes FREE, and you will love it so much.
Fried Tortilla Strips
My move is thinly slicing up leftover corn tortillas and frying them for a few minutes, since it takes almost no effort and uses up something that was probably going stale in your fridge anyway. Crushed tortilla chips work great too if frying isn't something you want to have to deal with to make a soup today.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯Variations
Regular Ol' Butternut Squash Soup
Chipotle and seitan not really where your head's at today? My vegan butternut squash soup keeps things sagey, cinnamony, and coconut milky.
Acorn Squash Soup
My acorn squash soup skips the heat entirely and goes full Thanksgiving mode instead: poultry seasoning, sage, a swirl of coconut milk and pomegranate on top.
Roasted Carrot Lentil Soup
Not even feeling squash today? Fair. My roasted carrot lentil soup ditches it completely and builds around roasted carrots and lentils, less smoke, more just a bangin' pot of soup that kinda minds its own business.
Grab my easy-yo-use app that builds your whole week with real, chef-tested vegan dinners in 30 seconds, customized to your budget, time, and taste, with a shopping list sorted by aisle.
📖 How to make Chipotle Butternut Squash Soup
Everything stacks into one pot in order, seitan first, squash later, and for realsies, the hardest part is having the patience to wait your turn (I'm not saying you are going in the pot, I am saying your turn to eat). Follow the steps and tips below, or jump to the recipe card if you already know the drill.
Step One
Seitan Said You Will Be Like God:
Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. After 90 seconds when the oil is hot, add the seitan and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, flipping the pieces occasionally, until browned on the edges all around.
Step Two
A more Perfect Onion:
Add the onion and carrots. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Step Three
Chipotlebraham Lincoln:
Add the garlic, chipotle peppers, cumin, and coriander and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to bloom the spices.
Step Four
Squashes to Squashes, Dust to Dust:
Add the butternut squash and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer covered for 20-22 minutes, until the squash is fork tender.
Step Five
The Green Mile:
Add the green beans and simmer for 4 minutes, until tender but not lifeless and awful.
Step Six
I'm In Love With The Coco:
Stir in the coconut milk and lime juice, and salt to taste.
Step Seven
Strip Search:
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fried tortilla strips, cilantro, and jalapeño. Serve with lime wedges.
💡Serving Ideas
A side of warm cornbread, some vegan tamales, or a stack of grilled flour tortillas never hurts if you want something to mop up the last bit at the bottom of the bowl.
For a bigger plant-forward Tex-Mex din din, set it next to a vegan taco salad, or if you are about that state fair lifestyle, maybe a fave Frito pie. Heck, some vegan chili served in a juicy ol' hat?!? What kind of monstewwww are ya?
Here's your autumnal soup flight: Moroccan sweet potato soup, Japanese sweet potato soup, and chipotle butternut squash soup.
👉Top tips
- Brown the Seitan For Texture: Give it the full 5 to 6 minutes and let those edges actually catch color before moving on. Rushing this step means chewy, kinda plain seitan instead of the slightly crispy, flavorful burnt-ends-ish bits you actually want.
- Adjust the Heat to Your Comfort Level: Chipotle peppers vary in spiciness (and salt) from can to can, so start with less if you are heat-sensitive and stir in more toward the end once you have tasted the base.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Yes, simply leave it out or swap in a can of drained black beans or some rehydrated soy curls for added protein and texture.
It has real heat, more than a typical squash soup, but it is not overwhelming since the coconut milk mellows things out. Start with less chipotle than called for if you are sensitive to spice, and add more gradually.
You can also dial the heat all the way down by leaving out the chipotle entirely and skipping the sliced jalapeño garnish, which still gets you a great, savory squash soup without any of the fire.
Not as written, since seitan is made from wheat gluten. To make it gluten free, swap the seitan for a GF protein of your choice, such as jackfruit, soy curls, pinto beans, or chopped grilled tofu, and double check that your chipotle peppers in adobo and tortilla strips are certified gluten free.
🧊 In the Fridge
Store the soup, without the tortilla strips, in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Add fresh tortilla strips and garnishes each time you serve it so they stay crunchy.
❄️ In the Freezer
Freeze the soup base for up to 3 months, leaving room at the top for expansion. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating, and add the coconut milk fresh if the texture separates slightly after freezing.
🔥 Reheating
Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, and thin with a splash of stock if needed. Garnish with fresh tortilla strips, cilantro, and lime right before serving.
✌️Other recipes made with chipotle in them:
Chipotle Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
The Soup Base:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups seitan hand-torn in bite size pieces
- 1 ½ cups onion diced
- 1 cup carrots peeled and sliced
- 4 teaspoons garlic minced
- ¼ cup chipotle peppers in adobo chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 lbs. butternut squash peeled, seeded, and diced
- 5 cups unsalted vegetable stock or water
- 1 ½ cups green beans trimmed and cut in 1 ½ inch sections
- 15 oz. canned coconut milk full fat
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
To Garnish:
- 1 cup fried tortilla strips
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 jalapeño sliced
- 1 lime cut into wedges
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. After 90 seconds when the oil is hot, add the seitan and cook for 5-6 minutes, flipping the pieces occasionally, until browned on the edges all around.
- Add the onion and carrots. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the garlic, chipotle peppers, cumin, and coriander and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to bloom the spices.
- Add the butternut squash and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer covered for 20-22 minutes, until the squash is completely tender.
- Add the green beans and simmer for 4 minutes, until tender but not lifeless and awful.
- Stir in the coconut milk and lime juice, and salt to taste.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fried tortilla strips, cilantro, and jalapeño. Serve with lime wedges.
Notes
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